The petioles are the edible part of the rhubarb. They are a great addition to cakes and desserts. You can make compotes or jams from them. The dark red, fleshy ones that become sweet in full sun are the tastiest.
In spring, in May, the carp grows long shoots ending in magnificent inflorescences, composed of tiny white or pink flowers from which the seeds are formed.
By using resources for the development and building of seeds, the plant becomes weaker, and the petioles thinner and less tasty. Therefore, inflorescence shoots should be removed as soon as they appear. There are situations when the inflorescences appear prematurely. Why is this happening?
Here are some of the reasons why:
Old carp.Every 4-6 years, preferably at the turn of September and October, you should rejuvenate the rhubarb. We dig out the carp and divide it into parts, each of which should have at least 2-3 roots and the same number of leaf buds. After the cut surface has dried up, in the same year, new seedlings should be planted permanently. In this way, they have the opportunity to take root before the onset of frosts, and in the spring of the following year give a bountiful harvest.
Improperly prepared soil.Rhubarb has high soil requirements. If the soil is heavy, compact or too light, the root quality will deteriorate and the plant may bloom prematurely under stress. If we want to prevent this, the soil for the cultivation of the slaughtering must be fertile, humus, with appropriate moisture and a slightly acidic to neutral reaction. Due to the storage of nutrients in carp and the formation of a large amount of green mass, the soil's nutrient content is very important.Therefore, fertilization with manure plays an important role in the cultivation of rhubarb. Used every 2 years, it improves the soil structure, retains water and nutrients, favoring the development of carp.
Drought and high temperatures in springdisrupt the rhubarb development cycle, causing it to bloom too quickly. In the period of water shortage, the plants should be watered regularly every 4-7 days, especially in the period of increased water demand, i.e. from May to August.
